The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

I Got Iowa, They Got the Virgin Islands

Posted on | August 6, 2011 | 18 Comments

DES MOINES — While I was rattling the tip-jar to pay for my Iowa trip, Democrats were spending your tax dollars on tropical vacations:

A nonprofit backed by U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.) spent more than $2 million in federal funds to provide environmental education to Philadelphia high school students — including trips to a resort in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
For three years, the Caribbean-American Mission for Research, Education, and Action ran an exchange program for students at Overbrook High School and two island high schools.
The Philadelphia students and their adult chaperones stayed at the Marriott Frenchman’s Reef beachfront resort, on what the hotel website calls a “luminous white sand beach framed with the majestic turquoise waters of the Caribbean.”
Fattah’s longtime friend James P. Baker Jr. was paid as much as $142,000 annually to run the organization, far more than usual for charities of that size. One federal audit said students on one trip spent “less than half” their time learning about the environment.

Thanks to Mike in Ardmore for the tip. When President Herman Cain appoints me to my prestigious tropical island diplomatic gig, I’ll institute an “environmental education” program for bloggers.

Category: Fear and Loathing in Iowa

Comments

18 Responses to “I Got Iowa, They Got the Virgin Islands”

  1. Hal
    August 6th, 2011 @ 7:33 pm

    Here’s the 990 pdf  link

    http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/900/900069125/900069125_200912_990EZ.pdf

  2. Mike
    August 6th, 2011 @ 7:33 pm

    Linked and quoted http://wp.me/pTkxi-QT

    I’ll institute an “environmental education” program for bloggers.

    I’m all for that.

  3. TC_LeatherPenguin
    August 6th, 2011 @ 8:21 pm

    I own a timeshare at Bluebeard’s Castle in St. Thomas, and am quite familiar with Marriott at Frenchman’s… there ain’t anyplace in Philly that compares, so I’d really like to know where the St. Thomas’s kids get shacked up in this “exchange program.”

  4. Iowa Debates Heating Up | Maggie's Notebook
    August 6th, 2011 @ 9:22 pm

    […] pocket to report on these important debates. In light of the tough times most of have experienced, read about Congressman Chaka Fattah’s (born Arthur Davenport) use of $2 million in taxpayer mo… – on trips to the U.S. Virgin […]

  5. Iowa Debates Heating Up | FavStocks
    August 7th, 2011 @ 4:45 am

    […] pocket to report on these important debates. In light of the tough times most of have experienced, read about Congressman Chaka Fattah’s (born Arthur Davenport) use of $2 million in taxpayer mo… – on trips to the U.S. Virgin […]

  6. WyBlog - Now that's what I call "Distance Learning"
    August 7th, 2011 @ 2:52 pm

    Now that’s what I call “Distance Learning”…

    Your tax dollars at play!…

  7. ‘The Lunatic Derby’ : The Other McCain
    August 7th, 2011 @ 3:22 pm

    […] 6: Rick Santorum’s Iowa Barn PartyAug. 6: ‘Streets’ and ‘Avenues’ in Rural IowaAug. 6: I Got Iowa, They Got the Virgin IslandsAug. 6: On the Scene in IowaAug. 5: Fear and Loathing at the Quality InnAug. 5: Long Knives in […]

  8. Sioux City: Herman Cain Begins Iowa Bus Tour With Noon Speech to Jewish Group : The Other McCain
    August 8th, 2011 @ 1:06 pm

    […] 6: Rick Santorum’s Iowa Barn PartyAug. 6: ‘Streets’ and ‘Avenues’ in Rural IowaAug. 6: I Got Iowa, They Got the Virgin IslandsAug. 6: On the Scene in IowaAug. 5: Fear and Loathing at the Quality InnAug. 5: Long Knives in […]

  9. Who is Herman Cain (Video); Candidate Cain on the Campaign Trail | REPUBLICAN REDEFINED
    August 9th, 2011 @ 1:38 pm

    […] Aug. 6: I Got Iowa, They Got the Virgin Islands […]

  10. Young Minions of the Sith Lord of Texas : The Other McCain
    August 9th, 2011 @ 2:55 pm

    […] 6: Rick Santorum’s Iowa Barn PartyAug. 6: ‘Streets’ and ‘Avenues’ in Rural IowaAug. 6: I Got Iowa, They Got the Virgin IslandsAug. 6: On the Scene in IowaAug. 5: Fear and Loathing at the Quality InnAug. 5: Long Knives in […]

  11. Mitt Romney Comes to Des Moines, Attracts Massive Media Coverage : The Other McCain
    August 10th, 2011 @ 10:01 pm

    […] 6: Rick Santorum’s Iowa Barn PartyAug. 6: ‘Streets’ and ‘Avenues’ in Rural IowaAug. 6: I Got Iowa, They Got the Virgin IslandsAug. 6: On the Scene in IowaAug. 5: Fear and Loathing at the Quality InnAug. 5: Long Knives in […]